Glowing Feedback For New Ryde Town Centre Shopfront

The repainting of a former sweet shop in the heart of the Isle of Wight’s largest town has received glowing feedback from patrons, its owner has said.

Planners last week granted Elliott’s Antiques and Collectables Listed Building Consent to repaint the front of 49 Union Street in Ryde and a few areas inside with a “very classy” dark blue as part of an antiques shop renewal plan.

The new shop’s owner, Charlotte Elliott, this morning (December 9) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) responses from the public have been overwhelmingly positive.

“The shopfront colour is called Hague Blue by Farrow and Ball and it’s my favourite colour,” she said.

“We’ve got it at home, we’ve got it everywhere – in the conservatory, under the stairs, on one wall in our bedroom, I’ve painted the bottom of the dining table in it.”

Her Design and Access Statement submitted to the council said the previous shop front looked ‘neglected, dirty and definitely in need of attention’.

“The existing shop part of 49 Union Street is currently empty and has been for over a year. Previously it had been a sweet shop – ‘All Things Sweet’ – for a number of years,” it said.

“My husband and I have recently taken over the lease and will be opening as an antiques shop.

"Whereas we understand the colours previously used may have been right for a sweet shop, they are not right for an antiques shop.

“The design concept and principals are very simple – to smarten the shop up and make it much more in keeping with a Victorian building in a conservation area.”

County Hall’s decision report on application 25/01451/LBC said there was no concern with the proposed repainting:

“The colour is appropriate to the age of the building and the letting is an appropriate font.”

Elliott’s Antiques and Collectables opened at the beginning of November.